For more information about the RTE program, contact:

Reno Hammond, SWLDC Business Manager
11720 East 21st Street, Ste D
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74129

The Southwest Laborers’ District Council (SWLDC) is proud to present a unique program that offers a much needed solution to an ever-growing challenge for the construction industry… the ability to enlist, prepare and mobilize a skilled, motivated and drug-free work force. RTE (Recruit, Train, Employ) has achieved an astonishing level of success in a short amount of time through the use of community outreach, non-traditional training opportunities and immediate placement in the workforce. RTE gives both the construction industry and the community the Laborers’ Advantage.

Recruit

Recruitment is the key to any employer’s success. The RTE Program works like a filter to ensure that signatory employers are supplied with a qualified and responsible workforce from the local area whenever possible.

In order to be eligible for the RTE Program, all recruits must:

Train

RTE Training provides basic employee life skills as well as quality comprehensive construction training.

In order to remain in the RTE Program and attend the training, all recruits must:

• Be on time for every class - tardiness is not tolerated
• Dress for construction work (leather boots, shirts with sleeves, full length work pants, appropriate apparel)
• Work safely and follow all safety rules
• Follow all instructions
• Successfully complete training

The RTE basic training consists of 120-hours of certified training including:

• OSHA 10-hour
• 80-hour General Construction
• 40-hour Basic Concrete

The RTE Program is designed to be diversified and the training schedule and hours may be augmented to fit almost any employer’s needs, including utilizing all construction and environmental training through the Laborers’ Training Course Curriculum.

Employ

The Southwest Laborers’ District Council actively promotes the use of available RTE graduates and notifies signatory employers in the area of potential employees. The RTE Program is an equal opportunity program.

Success

The RTE Program provides a localized workforce with nationally recognized certificates from the Laborers’ Training Fund for OSHA 10-hour, 80-hour General Construction and 40-hour Basic Concrete. Additionally, each graduate has proven to be dedicated by completing the three-week Program, showing up on time, working safely and following instructions every day for three weeks.

That spells success for any employer.

Mobile Training

The heart and soul of RTE’s success is the use of it’s Mobile Training Unit, a state-of-the-art mobile classroom that’s fully wired with the latest technology including several computer stations and a satellite dish for remote classroom participation. The unit can also be used as a mobile recruiting center Local Unions as well as a mobile command unit for relief efforts during disasters and other emergencies. A lesson from Hurricane Katrina was the need to properly and quickly train workers in a disaster area to help get the community back on its feet while protecting the community’s wages at the same time.